PIL seeks CCTV in police stations to prevent custodial deaths

CHENNAI: Citing incidents of alleged custodial torture and deaths, a PIL petition has been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to install CCTV system in all police stations in Tamil Nadu, particularly enabling the officer incharge of the station to view the happenings.

When the petition came up for hearing today, a division bench, comprising Justice K K Sasidharan and Justice M. Sathyanarayanan, adjourned it to October 28.

Petitioner Veangai I Prakash Raj, an advocate, submitted that there had been reports about persons taken to police stations for inquiry being allegedly beaten up mercilessly or subjected to human rights violations. In some instances, even deaths had occurred.

In all such incidents, the police take the stand of self-defence to such attacks.

Installation of CCTV in police stations would prevent such untoward incidents and to have control over the subordinate police officers by senior police officials.

Hence he prayed with the Court to direct the Home Department and the DGP to install CCTV cameras in all police stations across the state.